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Weekly UpdatesA Lakehead University researcher in Thunder Bay is receiving provincial funding to study the impact of rapid environmental change in Ontario's boreal forest.
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Dr. Han Chen's leading edge work was recognized with a $140,000 investment through the province's Early Research Awards Program.
The money is earmarked for Chen's forest management study on whether mixed wood stands perform a better job of carbon sequestration and can have greater productivity than single species stands of tamarack, jack pine, spruce and aspen.
Chen specializes in studying the effects of forest regeneration and natural and manmade disturbances such as wildfires and logging activity.
The idea is to improve the quality, biological diversity and ability of Northern forests to act as natural filters that clean air and reduce atmospheric greenhouses gases. Chen says more productive forests will play a major role in carbon sequestration. "We're looking for ecosystem response rather than how individual species respond."
The boreal forest is often referred to as the 'lungs of the planet' with a daily rhythm of taking in carbon dioxide and pushing out oxygen.
He says there's a balance in helping the forest re-generate and keep it working as a carbon sink, while meeting the needs of industry to produce a better quality piece of wood. "There's no conflict, it's a matter of how we use it and how can we do a better job. How can we regenerate future forests in a productive way?"
Other money to fund his work has come in from Ottawa and Queen's Park along with inking support from AbitibiBowater and Tembec.
His students are working at a number of research stations including the Spruce River Forest, 150 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The outcome of his research will impact forest management practices in response to global warming.
Chen says compared to tropical forests, Canadian timber has a competitive advantage because of its quality, huge land base and low population. But it's offset by its remoteness and high transportation costs. "I think the bottom line is nowhere can compare with the quality of our timber."
His work is the kind of research that will be undertaken at Lakehead's proposed Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE). It will represent a larger $25 million investment from Queen's Park.
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By IAN ROSS
Northern Ontario Business
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